


In Awe of Flowers

by thegraeyone



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Fluff, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-09-22 14:51:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17061830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegraeyone/pseuds/thegraeyone
Summary: Seto Kaiba is perfectly content in his flower shop, making arrangements and being surly to customers, when one day he's interrupted by one Joey Wheeler.A flower shop AU, sweet and light.





	In Awe of Flowers

Sunlight streamed in through the open windows of the Blue Rose Flower Shop. It sat on the corner of a busy thoroughfare, and the voluminous displays in the windows guaranteed people looking in. Spring bouquets lined the front of the shop, sunflowers wide faced as they greeted customers, nestled in bundles of yellow roses and carnations. Sweet swathes of lavender and irises dotted between orchids and the callas in black. The blue hydrangea and white alstroemeria were built into more ambitious arrangements that sat at the single counter, spilling greenery over the side. In the center of it stood Seto Kaiba, gloved hands holding the anthurium as he moved them out of the light. Mokuba always joked he looked more an undertaker than florist, and he supposed in his dark colors and pale complexion, he wouldn't be picked out in a crowd as the owner of this particular store.

Most of the people inside were browsing. He didn't bother with the usual sales pitch. If his work didn't show for itself, then it was their loss. His brother was the one who was all smiles and friendly greetings, and he knew just what to say to convince someone a lovely bouquet was just what their significant other, or mom, or barista needed that day. But he didn't get off school until later in the afternoon, and these days he took longer and longer to get home.

He was happy, at least, once the shoppers thinned. Someone had pulled out a few of the muscari bulbs and left them strewn across the stand. He busied himself with cleaning it, when he became aware someone was watching him. Seto looked up and saw a man standing in the open door of the shop, wheeling his bike in with him. The sunlight caught his blond hair like a halo, warming his complexion. His unzipped hoodie revealed the logo of the courier service, a little worn and tight on him, the ripped jeans broken in after years of use. His brown eyes were focused on Seto. A smile pulled at his lips, like he found something amusing here.

Seto snapped to attention and growled, "The bike has to stay outside."

The man gave a cowed look and took a step back, letting the bike clatter against the glass door. Seto winced and marched towards him.

"Can I help you?" he asked, annoyance bleeding into his tone.

The man lifted his hands. "I'm just looking for some flowers, man."

It was a reasonable request, considering where he was. Seto gave him a wary look as he entered the shop.

"What sort of flowers?" he asked.

"I, uh, don't know." He flashed an apologetic grin. "It's my sister's birthday, and, uh..."

Seto had already walked away. "What's your budget?"

"Fifty bucks, probably."

He glanced over him. Probably less. The man must've noticed his look, and a flash of anger passed over his face, tempering his uneven smile.

"What colors?" Seto asked.

He hesitated just a moment before landing on, "Pink. And yellow, I guess."

Seto was already pulling flowers. Pale purple daisies and yellow carnations made an easy bed for the pink lilies, and he picked a few yellow roses to add to it. The man watched him curiously, and when Seto brought him to the counter so he could arrange them quickly, he leaned forward, chin propped in his hands. It was oddly distracting. He wrapped them in the kraft paper, glancing up at the man once or twice.

"You're saving my life," the man said as he worked. "I didn't even think I'd get to see her today, but my buddy's making a delivery in her neighborhood. Do you have a card or something? Knowing Tristan he'll try to pass them off as his."

Seto stopped himself from suggesting he hit up the corner store down the street and produced a small square of card paper and a pen, hoping it would shut him up. Not to be the case.

"You're a real expert, huh?" he continued to prattle on.

"It's my job," Seto said as he added the ribbon.

"I don't usually see so many awards when it's just your job." He nodded to the display behind them.

Seto didn't need to look at his collection of achievements in flower arranging and growing. He was aware. "Some people take pride in what they do."

He could see the man frown as he leaned over to write something in the card, unsure if that was a slight against him or not. His sloppy handwriting was difficult to read, but Seto caught the name at the bottom. Joey. He looked up at him, smiling bright again. "What do I owe ya, slick?"

He didn't stop talking as handed Seto the cash in his pocket or as he carefully bundled up the bouquet. He said one final thank you and hopped on his bike, disappearing down the busy street. One annoying customer interaction down. Seto got to work cleaning up the scraps and didn't think about him again.

\-----

Saturday afternoon, the shop was crowded. Seto was trapped in a conversation with a soon-to-be bride who had strong opinions about the silver dollar eucalyptus her wedding planner had picked out, and Mokuba was chatting up a trio who were doing some sort of improvisational dance as they explained what they needed. Seto let his gaze wander and he saw, coming in through the door, the blond haired man, chatting with a tall friend with a nervous expression. Joey's eyes caught his, and Seto snapped his attention back to the woman in front of him.

Five minutes later he managed to wrangle free of the conversation and he looked again around the shop. The pair were huddled around the roses, chatting with Mokuba, who laughed at something Joey was saying. Seto stood on the other side of a row of baby's breath from them.

"You're back," he said.

Joey grinned at him, his arms folded around his friend's shoulders. "I was clearly helped by the wrong brother. Mokuba here's the nice one. Tristan, this is tall, dark, and creepy I was telling you about."

"Seto Kaiba," he deadpanned in response. Mokuba raised a questioning look to him that he ignored. "Don't tell me you have another sister's birthday you forgot."

"Tristan's in love," he said, patting his friend's face. "And Serenity loved the flowers so much we thought he should try that."

Tristan shoved his friend aside. "I thought buying her a flower would be nice. We're not doing a full bouquet. I want Miho to know I like her, not that I'm ready to propose."

Joey laughed as he punched him back, nearly knocking him into the stand. Seto winced as the bride-to-be called out for assistance once more, and Mokuba held up his hands. He put on his best customer service face before hurrying off to help her.

"Your brother's real cute," Joey said. "He looks like you, only happy."

Tristan knocked his shoulder. "Let a man get through the day, Joey."

He only looked at Seto, face like the sun. "What do you suggest for my boy?"

Romantic flowers honestly bored Seto, and it was easy enough to point out the rainbow array of roses they had available, alongside the pale carnations. An ambitious person might purchase an orchid, but he doubted the commitment Tristan's paramour would need to keep it alive. Tulips were eye catching and bright, lilacs symbolic and sweet, camellia always popular. Tristan and Joey argued and teased among themselves. Seto was close to leaving them on their own when Joey tilted his head at him. His felt the same gaze as when the man had first appeared. Like he found something amusing about Seto. It rubbed him exactly the wrong way.

"What'd you want to get?" Joey asked. "If someone was giving you a flower. Romantically, I mean."

Both pairs of eyes were on him. Tristan was clearly overwhelmed and nervous, but Joey was studying him. Seto pointed to the box of blue irises. That seemed to satisfy the pair, and he stalked off to help Mokuba with the growing line. He didn't look up again from the counter as he quickly cut and wrap what needed doing. Seto absorbed himself in his job until the line calmed down again, and a quiet came over the shop. Tristan approached, deciding to go with a trio of camellia. Seto didn't say anything as he wrapped them in ribbon for him, but he saw over his shoulder Joey and Mokuba leaned into some secret conversation. Joey stood straight as his friend returned to him, giving Mokuba an affectionate pat. He waved at Seto as they left. Seto only watched him go.

Mokuba leaned over the counter, a smirk on his face. "He asked me if you were always a jerk, or if there was a day you were in a good mood."

Seto leaned down to reorganize his wrapping supplies, so long as there was a lull. "I am in a good mood."

"That's what I told him," he said in a sing-song. "He does deliveries in the neighborhood all the time."

Seto hmmed as he carefully respooled the ribbon. His brother, seeing he wasn't going to earn a response, went to fill the display boxes.

\------

Seto frowned at the wedding bouquet in front of him. The wedding planner had asked for their blue dyed roses specifically, but the silver dollar was out. He tried the seeded eucalyptus and had to admit it looked better. Maybe she'd appreciate freesia as well. He was distracted enough that he didn't notice the clatter of a bike against the glass door or the familiar shape until Joey was right next to him. Seto stood quickly, hoping surprise didn't register on his face.

"There's no way you need more flowers," he said.

Joey laughed. "No, sorry. I have a break, but I already ate my sandwich."

"So you came to bother me."

"Yup." He glanced over the bouquet. "Whatcha working on?"

"It's for a wedding," Seto said. "She's picking it up today. I need to finish it."

"You're a real interesting guy, Kaiba." He leaned against the counter. "I can't figure out why someone with a face like yours would spend all day in a place like this."

He frowned. "What about my face?"

Joey laughed again. "That face right there. You look so scary."

It wasn't the first time someone had called him that. He wasn't bothered by it. "Did you come here just to insult me?"

"Not just." He picked at one of the roses, and Seto slapped his hand away. "I've got fifteen minutes to kill."

Seto ignored him as he put the finishing touches on the bouquet. Joey moved past him, looking at the wall of accolades. On a shelf was an orchid in its own pot, kept away from the rest. He peered as it curiously.

"Did you grow this?" he asked.

Seto didn't bother to look up. "Don't touch it."

"I wasn't gonna!"

"It's a coerulea orchid," he said. "And if you mess it up, I will break all your fingers."

"See," Joey said. "Scary. But you're sitting here with a wedding bouquet and growing--what is it?"

"It's rare," he said. He tied the ribbon and set the flowers aside. "I don't need your grubby hands all over it."

Joey smiled at him. "I can't figure out why a guy like you would be doing something as romantic as this."

Seto put down his scissors. "They're not romantic. They're flowers."

"Well," he said, "why do you like them?"

"That's a stupid question."

"Come on, Kaiba. I'm making conversation here."

He looked up at Joey, whose brown eyes and hair caught the sunlight. Flowers wreathed behind him. He had that same smile.

"They're quiet," Seto said.

Joey laughed again. "You know, I thought you were an asshole when I first met you."

He waited for a moment to see if there was more to that story, but Joey wandered off. Seto didn't move from his spot even as he babbled on, and when fifteen minutes was up, Joey hurried out the door on his bike.

Seto mentioned it to Mokuba later, in passing. His brother watched him as he spoke, a grin stretching across his face.

\-----

For the next few weeks, Joey Wheeler kept happening. He stopped in sporadically, usually only for a few minutes at a time, often when the shop was otherwise quiet. He told him that Tristan's attempt to woo the girl of his dreams had gone disastrously, which was fine, since he'd moved on anyway, and that his sister was so pleased with the flowers and he wanted to bring her around when he had free time, which was never. He worked two jobs and paid half the rent on an apartment he shared with some high school buddy and his best friend's family owned the game shop two blocks over, which was always prompted Seto to ask why he didn't bother them instead. Joey laughed.

He asked Seto too about which competitions he won and what he did for fun after work and was so disappointed when the answer to that was go upstairs to his house. If Mokuba was around, he'd fill in answers for him and talk about school and some girl he was chatting with which was the first Seto had heard of it and he pretended not to listen while Joey stumbled over some advice. Mokuba, with the deft and subtlety of a fifteen year old, asked Joey if he was seeing anyone, which he was played off with a joke. Seto pretended not to listen to that too.

After several weeks of seeing him every other day, he stopped coming by at all. It took Seto a little while to notice, but Mokuba commented about him every day. He never gave his brother the satisfaction of a reply. He didn't need to, not when he was distracted by every flash of blond hair outside, or he raised his chin to shout whenever something hit the glass door. Seto didn't let himself get melancholy over it. He had work to do, orders to fill, and more taxing things to take up his time.

He didn't let himself get excited either when Joey appeared in his doorway on a random Wednesday afternoon. It was completely quiet inside the shop, and except for the padding of his worn down sneakers, he didn't make his usually noisy entrance. Seto looked up at him as he entered. Joey smiled at him.

"It's quiet in here," he said.

"It was," Seto murmured. "What are you doing here?"

He stood across from him, picking up the camellia between them. Seto almost snapped at him to put it back, but he swallowed it down.

"It's my day off," Joey said.

"So you spend it here?"

"Well I met my friend Yugi for lunch and I had some time to kill." He shrugged, sliding his hands into the front pockets of his well worn jeans. "I didn't want you to think I'd forgotten about you."

Seto kept his expression passive. "Mokuba noticed your absence."

He grinned at that. "How's your brother doing? Anymore luck with that girl?"

"He hasn't mentioned it," he said. "I wouldn't worry too much. Young love has a way of evaporating."

"Yeesh." Joey gave him a look. "You talk like you're a hundred years old or something. For a guy who makes bouquets for a living, you aren't very romantic."

"Romance isn't a necessity here," he said.

"What about in your life?"

"I've only found it distracting." He frowned and moved away.

Joey let out a laugh. "That's such a sad sack thing to say."

Seto's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"

"You don't ever go out, do you?" he asked. "With friends? Get a drink sometime? See a movie?"

"I have the store." Seto's tone set like a brick wall. "Taking care of my brother and this place eats up the most of my time."

"I work two jobs and spend all day sweating all over Domino," Joey said. "Even I manage an afternoon off."

"It's called dedication," he said.

Again, a fleeting look of anger passed over his face, as though he'd insulted his own dedication. Joey's teeth scraped along his bottom lip. He looked around the shop, and Seto regretted its emptiness. He wished for a hundred needy newlyweds to save him from this conversation.

"What time do you close up?" Joey asked suddenly.

Seto frowned and gestured to the hours painstakingly printed on the glass out front. "Six."

"Cool." He glanced down at a ten dollar watch. "I think I need a flower."

Seto hesitated. He hadn't expected the rest of the interaction to be so... transactional. Carefully, he asked, "What's the occasion?

Joey beamed at him, his face the summer sun. "It's for a guy."

Seto snapped his mouth shut, shuttering his expression from the broil of emotions that burned inside of him. Joey didn't look away from him. His face wasn't judging, but he waited patiently for that flicker.

"I was going to ask him out," he continued.

"It worked so well for your friend," came Seto's quick response.

Joey laughed. "Here's hoping I have better luck than he does."

Seto wondered who would turn him down when he smiled like that. His own throat felt parched, and he turned away, looking to the same flowers he'd shown him and Tristan a few weeks ago.

"Do you know what he likes?" he asked, his voice steady.

Joey was still watching him. He felt his gaze against the back of his head.

"You said you'd like a blue iris," he said. "How about one of those?"

A more cruel punishment couldn't arise, Seto thought as he plucked one from the stand and took it to his counter. Joey followed after.

"It really doesn't do anything for you?" Joey asked as Seto carefully wrapped it in ribbon. "Putting together something like this for someone? Helping someone show they care?"

Seto tied the flower off and rested it gently on the counter. "They're flowers. They don't actually mean anything."

An uncertain look passed over Joey's face as he picked up the iris. He held it like his touch might force it to wilt, the edge of his warm smile pulling down. Seto let out a breath.

"I suppose," he conceded and watched the glow fill his face again, "it's nice to be thought about."

Joey didn't hang around much longer, and Seto was happy for it. Carrying on with him like that was too much. His only hope was that he'd be so distracted by his new paramour that he'd see less of him in the shop. Mokuba would be disappointed. Seto refused to let himself be. 

At six he pulled down the grates over the glass windows and locked the door behind him. Mokuba had been invited over to some friend's house, Seto's idle text unanswered. That was fine. His brother deserved to enjoy himself. He kept his head down as he paced over to the stairs that led up to their home and stopped. A familiar bicycle was coming towards him, ridden by a familiar courier. Joey hit the brakes right beside him.

Seto stared. He hadn't expected to see him again, definitely not today, definitely not slightly out of breath with his windswept blond hair and fond smile.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he blurted out.

Joey slid off his bike. "I was so scared I was going to miss you."

He bustled with energy, his face bright. Seto wondered if he'd hurried here to give him the good news. He ducked his head down, suppressing the jealousy that bubled in his chest.

"I assume it went well," he said.

Joey tilted his head in a question. "Oh, the guy? Dunno yet."

"Shouldn't you be hurrying off then?"

"I was." Joey opened the courier's basket on his bike and removed the single flower. It'd been well preserved, despite it's time in transit. He ran a hand through his hair, a nervous grin stretching across his face, and he pushed the flower up to Seto.

Who stared back.

"I really thought I was being obvious," Joey said.

Seto looked down at the flower. "You bought this from me, to give to me?"

"Yeah."

"That," he said slowly, "is an idiot move."

Joey shook his head. "There was a fifty-fifty shot you reacted like this."

"I thought--" The jealousy in his chest had turned to embarrassment. "You made me think--Why would you do that?"

"Guys like us don't get that many romantic gestures," he said. "And I wanted to see if I could change your mind about that. Are you going to take it?"

Seto did and ducked his head down. He rolled the stem in his hand.

"And I was thinking," Joey continued, "if you do manage to find an afternoon off, we could do something. Dinner, coffee, whatever works. I'm not picky."

Every emotion Seto ignored and clamped down on in the last several weeks bubbled up so bright and loud that when he looked at Joey again he thought he might burst.

"Do you have time?" he asked. "Right now? Mokuba's out and I--I could buy you dinner."

"Have you had that new curry place?" Joey asked, and when Seto shook his head he held out a hand to him. "Let's go."

Seto took it.


End file.
